A large number of consumer products involve fluid or liquid formulations that are topically applied to the body. Some examples of these products include sunscreen, skincare products, body cleansers and sanitizers, personal lubricants, cosmetics, repellents, skin camouflages, and body and face paints. These products are normally sold in a variety of dispensing containers, ranging in size from large, economy-size containers to small, travel-size bottles. However, consumers of these products often find that the existing dispensing containers are inadequate and inconvenient for use while away from the home, office, or other location where these products are normally kept. Even if a product is provided in a travel-size container, such containers are rarely, if at all, convenient or discreet enough to be wearable. Thus, hands-free accessories for carrying consumer products made of viscous fluids are important because of their convenience for consumers.
The wrist is a convenient place to carry items such as the consumer products mentioned above. One reason for this is due to the fact that the wrist is a location that minimizes the time to access the product by hand. As noted below, various inventions have attempted, unsuccessfully, to take advantage of the wrist as a place to carry a container with fluids.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,581,811 discloses a wearable container for flowable materials. The wearable container of U.S. Pat. No. 6,581,811 is intended for food or beverage storage and is deformable axially so that the length and volume of the container can change, and that change can push the flowable material from within. However, the container does not form a continuous cavity and is closed on one end. Also, there is no mechanism for indicating how much of the contents have been dispensed and no dedicated mechanism for sealing and dispensing.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,702,473 discloses a combination hand weight and water dispenser. The container of U.S. Pat. No. 4,702,473 is intended for beverage storage and is handheld and not wearable.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,768,688 discloses a suntan lotion bracelet. The wearable container of U.S. Pat. No. 4,768,688 is a rigid tube that maintains its shape and has caps to close the container and dispense the contents. However, there is no mechanism for dispensing besides squeezing the container, no indicator of how much of the contents have been dispensed, and the open cap is for filling and dispensing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,060,833 discloses a wearable collapsible container for dispensing drinking water. This collapsible container is worn using straps.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,207,362 discloses a wearable container for dispensing liquid for drinking. It is a tube worn around the neck having a straw inserted therein.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,261,570 discloses a flexible, wearable liquid dispenser. The dispenser of U.S. Pat. No. 5,261,570 is intended for lotions and other liquids. It is a hollow molded plastic form with a cap. It is meant to be squeezed to dispense the contents. However, it is not for wearing on the wrist nor is there a mechanism for dispensing other than squeezing the container, no indicator of how much of the contents has been dispensed, and the open cap is for filling and dispensing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,431,308 discloses an apparatus for storing and dispensing fluids for use by an athlete. It is a hollow tube with closed ends.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,622,293 discloses a wearable liquid container. It is a flexible tube with two ends that connect to form a loop. However, only one of the ends is open for receiving and dispensing liquids and an exterior connecting member keeps the ends together.
To date, nothing in the prior art has been described that is mechanically effective as both a viscous fluid container and a dispenser, and that solves the functional challenges of being refillable, virtually spill-proof, wearable, discreet, and able to be manufactured in many different colors and styles, and therefore wearable in many circumstances. Therefore, there is a need for a wearable device for storing and dispensing fluids such as the consumer products mentioned above.
The present invention is directed to overcoming these and other deficiencies in the art.